05.27.09

Though a fourth favorable video review in the past week has played a part in the Mets’ 5-3 lead over the Nationals tonight, let’s hop in the time machine and return to, errr, Wednesday morning, when Newsday’s Ken Davidoff declared of the Amazingly Disableds, “you can wonder why the Mets have seemingly put themselves on an island the last couple of years, consistently choosing aggressive paths for injury treatment when most other teams have swerved toward the more conservative approach.” Davidoff pinpoints the following ;

* – An ownership that comes off as overly sensitive to the day-to-day happenings of the team and the media coverage, rather than stepping back and taking a more macrocosmic view.

* – Minaya himself. First of all, he appears naturally assertive about these cases. He explained Tuesday that, if he thinks a player can return in five to eight days, he’d rather go shorthanded for as long as a week than shelve a player for 15 days.

* – Second of all, Minaya’s decisions probably are clouded by the lack of organizational depth. Yes, it’s unusual and unlucky that both Reyes and Alex Cora went down. But it happens. You have to prepare for it. Ramon Martinez just can’t be option number three.

* – The medical staff. As Minaya mentioned, the team’s doctors thought that Reyes would need just a couple of days before returning. Remember, trainers don’t want their players to go on the DL, because it reflects poorly upon them. “I feel very comfortable that our medical people have given us very good advice,” Minaya said.

Hey, aren’t you the “Will Leitch Sucks” guys? Because if you had real conviction, you’d have noted his latest bit of assery, a NY Mag column burying scary-Negro-athlete Gary Sheffield, because he can’t hit and is selfish.

“The Mets have signed a ghost, a vision of bluster and power that no longer exists, a throwback to a time when a 40-year-old slugger could artificially wring a few final drops from his God-given mortal talents. Gary Sheffield is now just an old ballplayer, with few places left to go, playing out the string as loudly as possible.”

That ghost is hitting clean-up and pulling fastballs foul while putting valuable runs on the scoreboard for a team as injured as Robert E. Lee’s family. Does anyone at NY Magazine realize that every time he taps out a prediction, he’s wrong? I guess Adam Moss doesn’t start his day by reading the sports section. But you vengeful CSTB nitpickers do, and I expect you to hold Leitch accountable for smug ignorance like that column (http://nymag.com/news/sports/games/55999/).

The difference between GMs and douches with laptops, Will, is that GMs can see beyond results — it’s why Minaya signed Sheffield, didn’t release Delgado when every message-board Einstein wanted him on the next Amtrak, and defended Luis Castillo when the only thing wrong with him was the excess 20 lbs that made him run like Art Shamsky with a bone spur. You don’t know shit, Will, which would be more excusable if your columns ever acknowledged complexity or contradiction, or didn’t proclaim certainty with every sensationalist sentence.

thanks for this. Admittedly, I’ve missed a number of Will’s recent efforts — both for NY mag and other outlets. There have been prior instances, however, where Will’s rush to judgement surrounding the Mets (ie. his preseason promise that Citi Field would be a launching pad) has been questioned. It does seem that Leitch would be better suited working for a St. Louis outlet where he can defend the drunk driver genius manager rather than bash the Mets on their own turf, but this strikes me as desperation on New York’s part. I’m certain they receive negative feedback concerning Will’s bias, but his employers are probably thrilled anyone is paying attention.

as for Sheff, though a Tweet shouldn’t count as proper crow-eating, I recently wondered why Gary was hitting cleanup. If Omar is gonna catch heat for his lack of a bench, he deserves ample credit for the Sheffield and Livan Hernandez acquisitions.

I thought I could rely on death, taxes, CSTB being on Will’s dick, and needless reunions by the Charlatans. I guess I’ll have to cleave more closely to death and taxes.

Minaya also deserves more credit for finding John Maine than for losing Brian Bannister. As for heat, I’m still steamed that he lost Jose Flores in Rule 5 (I don’t think anyone’s ever analyzed the 40-man roster at that juncture to see who Omar would have had to expose, but I’m sure that guy is no longer relevant) and every time I see Ramon Martinez strike out, I’m reminded that the Mets have neglected to hold middle infielders who turned valuable for other organizations: Jeff Keppinger (whom I’d still love to have back), Marco Scutaro, and Anderson Hernandez, who admittedly was putting up Al Weiss numbers even at AAA and seemed like a switch-hitting Jason Tyner.

Hey, Jimmy Qualls, I like the cut of your jib. If you ran a sports blog, I certainly wouldn’t have to come here and sift through pointless 12,000 word entries on the Cubs or useless soccer updates. If you have a blog, post the link. If you don’t, start one.